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Elmore Leonard Quotes

Novelist

Elmore Leonard, born on October 11, 1925, was a renowned American novelist. Known for his hard-boiled detective novels and Westerns, his distinctive style and concise writing have won him a dedicated following.

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All Writing Ifs Want Book Thinking Reader Stories Way Character Dialogue Fun Knows People Said Sound Please Scene Skip Use Verbs

Famous Elmore Leonard Quotes

“Never open a book with weather. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want.”

Ifs Way Want Book Happens Can Do Snow Weather Ice Exception Ice And Snow

Author:Elmore Leonard

“I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write.”

Ifs Writing Believe Inspiration Waiting Down And Don't Believe Block Writer's Block

Author:Elmore Leonard

“If work was a good thing, the rich would have it all and not let you do it.”

Ifs Rich Good Things

Author:Elmore Leonard

“I think any writer is a fool if he doesn't do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. It's fun to sit there and think of characters and get them into action, then be paid for it. I can't believe it when writers tell me 'I don't want to show my work to anybody'.”

Ifs Thinking Want Needs Believe Kind I Can Character Shows Action Together Fun Fool Projects Paid Incentives

Author:Elmore Leonard

“My characters have to talk, or they're out. They audition in early scenes. If they can't talk, they're given less to do, or thrown out.”

Ifs Character Given Scene Thrown Auditions

Author:Elmore Leonard

“My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.”

Ifs Feels Enough Purpose Reader Please

Author:Elmore Leonard

“If you take a few days to write an outline, you're just making up scenes that you think will work, that you think will be interesting. But as you write it, other ideas occur - better ideas that have to do with what you're writing.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Ideas Interesting Scene Outlines Making Up

Author:Elmore Leonard

“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”

Ifs Writing Sound Inspire

Book:Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing

Source: Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing

“A man can be in two different places and he will be two different men. Maybe if you think of more places he will be more men, but two is enough for now.”

Ifs Thinking Men Two Different Enough Different Place

Book:Valdez Is Coming: A Novel

Source: Valdez Is Coming: A Novel

“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.”

Ifs Way Writing May I Can Sound Rhythm Narrative Composition Usage

Author:Elmore Leonard

“My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”

Ifs Writing Important Sound

Book:Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing

Source: Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing

“After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still a pleasure.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Years Stills Pleasure Easier Please Lucky Harder Lucky You

Author:Elmore Leonard

About the Author

Born: October 11, 1925
Died: August 20, 2013
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 76

Books & Sources

Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of WritingRelated source material

10 Rules of WritingRelated source material

A Coyote's in the HouseRelated source material

BanditsRelated source material

Get ShortyRelated source material

Get Shorty: A NovelRelated source material

Labrava: A NovelRelated source material

Last Stand at Saber RiverRelated source material

Valdez Is Coming: A NovelRelated source material

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